Egypt's Morsi calls parliament elections in April

An Egyptian Ultras activist chants anti-President Mohammed Morsi slogans while leading a rally during the fifth day of a general strike, in Port Said, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
— AP

An Egyptian Ultras activist chants anti-President Mohammed Morsi slogans while leading a rally during the fifth day of a general strike, in Port Said, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
/ AP

Egyptian protesters block the road leading to the east port preventing loaded trucks from leaving the port, during the fifth day of a general strike, in Port Said, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. A banner with Arabic that reads "retribution for Port Said martyrs, they shot our brothers with bullets," and a poster with a picture of a slain man with his kids and reading in Arabic "the martyr of treachery, Mohammed Sami Sharan, may God count him as a martyr, January 26, 2013," are used to block the road. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)— AP

Egyptian protesters block the road leading to the east port preventing loaded trucks from leaving the port, during the fifth day of a general strike, in Port Said, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. A banner with Arabic that reads "retribution for Port Said martyrs, they shot our brothers with bullets," and a poster with a picture of a slain man with his kids and reading in Arabic "the martyr of treachery, Mohammed Sami Sharan, may God count him as a martyr, January 26, 2013," are used to block the road. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
/ AP

FILE - In this Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012 file photo, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi’s supporters, background, clash with opponents, foreground, outside the presidential palace, in Cairo, Egypt. For most of the 85 years since its inception, the Muslim Brotherhood operated secretively as an outlawed group, working underground and often repressed by governments. But even after its political success since Hosni Mubarak's ouster, the group is still suspected of carrying on secretive operations. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)— AP

FILE - In this Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012 file photo, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi’s supporters, background, clash with opponents, foreground, outside the presidential palace, in Cairo, Egypt. For most of the 85 years since its inception, the Muslim Brotherhood operated secretively as an outlawed group, working underground and often repressed by governments. But even after its political success since Hosni Mubarak's ouster, the group is still suspected of carrying on secretive operations. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)
/ AP

Female protesters chant anti-President Mohammed Morsi slogans in front of the main court house during the fifth day of a general strike, in Port Said, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)— AP

Female protesters chant anti-President Mohammed Morsi slogans in front of the main court house during the fifth day of a general strike, in Port Said, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
/ AP

CAIRO 
Egypt's Islamist president has called parliamentary elections for April in an effort to assuage mounting frustration over continued turmoil on the streets and a political impasse that has gripped the nation.

A decree by President Mohammed Morsi issued late Thursday set the start of a staggered, four-stage voting process for April 27, with the last round to be held in June. The newly elected parliament would then convene for its first session on July 6, the decree said.

Since the 2011 ouster of longtime authoritarian President Hosni Mubarak in a popular uprising that was part of the Arab Spring revolts, Egyptians have gone through a series of referendums, presidential and parliamentary elections. The first elected parliament was disbanded by a court order last June and Morsi, the nation's first freely elected president, assumed his post in July.

Morsi and his highly organized Muslim Brotherhood, which was a banned opposition group under Mubarak, emerged from the uprising and the various elections as the country's dominant political group with the largest grass root support.

But the divisions in Egypt have only grown, pitting the Brotherhood and their fundamentalist Islamists allies on one side and the mostly secular, liberal political parties and youth groups on the other.

The opposition accuses Morsi of monopolizing power and going back on campaign promises to have an inclusive government and introduce far reaching reforms. Morsi's supporters say the new government cannot immediately fix years of neglect and poor administration from Mubarak's 29-year rule, and cite the legitimacy of the ballot box in their favor.

The turmoil deepened with the second anniversary of the Jan. 25 uprising when anger spilled out onto the streets and violence again engulfed the nation.

The most recent show of unrest came in the restive city of Port Said, where a general strike entered its six day on Friday. Factory workers, activists and laborers have held street rallies that brought the coastal city on the northern tip of the Suez Canal to a halt, though shipping in the international waterway has not been affected.

Meanwhile, rights groups have complained of widespread police abuse, saying in a joint statement Wednesday that brutality is on the rise in detention centers and at demonstrations. The groups said they hold Morsi responsible for failing to stop such practices, which have claimed 60 lives since the end of January.

For its part, Egypt's powerful military has shown signs of growing impatience with Morsi, issuing thinly veiled threats that it might seize power again as it did after Mubarak stepped down and the army generals took over, remaining in control until Morsi's election.

After several spasms of deadly violence on the streets, a decimated economy and depleted foreign reserves, many hold Morsi responsible for the turmoil.

His critics say he is not much different from Mubarak, pointing to a highly controversial presidential decree from November in which Morsi gave himself near absolute powers. The decree has since been rescinded but Morsi and the Brotherhood in the meantime managed to push through a constitution - drafted by an Islamist-dominated panel - that was approved in a referendum late last year.